DZ
The direction of RE prices has only limited connection to the economy at this point because they are still slightly overvalued from a historical perspective. Prices are behaving very typically for where we are in an annual secular cycle. Prices are stable to slightly declining and there are deals to be had. Once we hit Spring things will pick up and prices will firm up. The it will happen all over again once Summer fades.

Good homes priced well in this market are having no problems finding buyers.

As far as whether everyone is doing well, of course they arent but plenty are. My point was that relative to the rest of the country we seem to be faring pretty darn well. Two weeks ago our schools were on Fall break and I took my kids to Maui. There were familes there from the Encinitas School district everywhere we went. I seriously must have run into 50 different familes I knew in the course of a week. There were close to 10 at our resort alone. As harsh as you want to beleive this economy is, there are plenty of folks who are thriving out there.